GDrive SSD R-Series - No Bus Power

G-Technology G-DRIVE
1

… via Apple’s own USB-C > Thunderbolt 2 adaptor.

Hi there, hoping some G-Tech staff are here… I tried submitting a support email a number of times - but somewhat ironically the support form wouldn’t upload due to un expected errors.

This is a copy of my attempted support email request :

"Hi there,

I have just received the GDrive R-Series mobile SSD 2TB
( https://www.apple.com/nl/shop/product/HLRA2VC/A/g-technology-500-gb-g-drive-r-series-externe-ssd-schijf?afid=p238|s9yrJ8Og1-dc_mtid_187079nc38483_pcrid_81847252247_&cid=aos-nl-kwgo-pla-btb--slid-----product-HLRA2VC/A-NL )

I am running it on a MBP2013 so am using it via Apple’s USB-C > Thunderbolt 2 adaptor.

Unfortunately it does not seem to power this way.

There was no warning on the product page about this - so I wanted to check with you if this is the correct behaviour ?

Should the device power correctly when connected to a Thunderbolt2 port via a USB-C>Thunderbolt 2 adaptor ?

It *does power via the supplied USB-3 > USB2 cable - but I am presuming the speeds will be so low - that I may as well have a regular drive ? (what is the transfer speed when using this method ?)

Many thanks for any help / info you can give - before I call Apple.

BTW - does GTech supply a similar SSD which connects / powers directly from a Thunderbolt 2 port ?"

2

USB-C is not Thunderbolt, That is why.

Thunderbolt 3 (what this device uses and requires) uses the Type C connector which USB-C uses but they are different interfaces.

Only on the newest Mac hardware like the 2016 and newer MacBook Pro and the newest iMac share both technologies in a single port.

3

Thanks for the reply & info Rydia !
Thankfully the Apple return has been easy to set up.
I really think it would save both them and their customers some grief if they made clear on the product page that is not compatible with any Macs before such and such a date…

Do you have any recommends for a similar fast Thunderbolt / SSD mobile external for an earlier (mine is 2013) MBP ?

4

BTW - I was thinking I may have to go for this :

How does the bus power work - if using via Thunderbolt (2) ?

Do you have to plug the USB3 cable in as well to power it ?
TB2 doesn’t supply power, right ?

Thanks again…

5

That is not our product so I cannot comment on it. However any TB2 equiped device or even standard USB 3 will be perfectly fine. We also have a USB 3 SSD deviceG-Drive Mobile SSD R-Series

You were looking at the Pro which is TB3 only, the non pro version is still a very fast SSD and works via USB.